Dolls which replicate human infants are among the most popular types of dolls used to entertain and amuse children of a substantial age range. In addition to merely resembling human infants in their appearance, dolls have been provided which simulate a variety of human infant activities. For example, dolls have been created which, to some degree, mimic activity such as drinking from a bottle, sleeping, wetting diapers, crying, walking and speaking. Dolls which simulate the drinking and wetting activity are extremely popular and have been provided in a variety of structures. One of the primary goals in providing a doll having a wetting feature is to add authenticity and realism to such dolls.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,857 issued to Birnbaum sets forth a DOLL WITH ROTATABLE HEAD AND LIQUID RESERVOIR in which a doll includes a reservoir which is rotatably mounted within a doll body. The reservoir mounting is provided such that the reservoir will rotate with head rotation of the doll. Means are provided for receiving a liquid within a mouth aperture on the doll and for directing such received liquid to the reservoir. Discharged tubes are provided which are coupled to simulated tear ducts in the doll's eyes as well as a urinary simulation on the lower torso of the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,663 issued to Terzian sets forth a CRYING DOLL which includes a hollow head and hollow body connected at the neck. The head portion includes a pair of eyes and mouth having apertures defined therein. A liquid bladder is mounted in the head and includes a flexible wall and conduits in communication with the eye apertures. Means are provided for forcing the liquid from the bladder through the conduits to the eyes and a sound generator is provided to replicate a crying sound.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,845 issued to Rashleigh, et al. sets forth a VOICE DEVICE FOR DRINKING-WETTING DOLLS includes a doll having a hollow body, a urinary orifice, and a mouth orifice further includes an elongated tube coupling the mouth orifice to the urinary orifice. A vibratable reed is positioned within the tube and vibrates as liquid is forced through the tube during a simulated feeding or nursing to produce a sound commensurate with feeding.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,653,411 issued to Beltz sets forth a DRINKING AND WETTING DOLL WITH SOUND EFFECTS in which a hollow doll includes a hollow head and torso. The head defines a mouth orifice and a reservoir is supported within the interior of the doll torso. A coupling tube extends from the mouth orifice to the reservoir. The reservoir includes discharge means for providing simulating wetting on the doll's part when filled with liquid and an associated sound effect device such as a vibrating reed which provides accompanying sound effects for the drinking and wetting process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,338 issued to Lyons, et al. sets forth a SOUND EMITTING AND WETTING DOLL having a hollow head and body and a mouth opening. The doll is adapted to produce a burping sound when its back is patted and simultaneously to spit up a portion of the previously fed bottle through the mouth opening. A burping sound is produced by a bellows in the body portion of the doll and a head bellows provides sudden air flow which causes liquid to be emitted from the mouth to produce a spitting up effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,675 issued to Juan sets forth DOLLS THAT SIMULATE PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS in which a doll includes a hollow head and hollow body as well as a mouth orifice. A liquid reservoir is coupled to the mouth orifice and is supported within the interior of the doll body. The reservoir is filled by placing a bottle in the mouth of the doll head and means are provided to simulate the urinary function.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,430 issued to Freeland sets forth a SOUNDING WETTING DOLL having a hollow torso and body. A mouth opening is coupled to a tube which extends into the body interior. A small opening in the lower part of the torso permits water within the doll interior to escape and simulate the act of wetting. A noise maker is coupled to the neck passage of the doll such that squeezing the flexible doll body produces sounds which simulate crying or burping in the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,139 issued to Rekettye sets forth a WEEPING, CRYING AND WETTING DOLL in which a doll is provided with a hollow head and torso and a mouth opening as well as tear duct openings in the region of the doll's eyes. A coupling tube connects the doll's mouth opening to an interior reservoir which in turn is coupled to the interior of the doll body and the tear ducts surrounding the doll's eyes. A small opening in the lower torso of the doll body permits liquid to escape simulating a wetting function. A reservoir near the infant's eyes collects liquid to be discharged through the infant's tear ducts.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,833 sets issued to Tancredi sets forth a DRINKING, WETTING AND CRYING DOLL having a hollow head and torso. A mouth opening within the doll's head is coupled by a tube to a reservoir. When the doll is laid flat and liquid is "fed" to the doll through the mouth opening, the liquid collects in the interior reservoir within the head. Thereafter, when the doll is raised to a vertical position, a portion of the liquid flows from the reservoir to the doll body to be discharged as urinary function and a portion of the water also flows out through tear ducts in the doll's face to simulate crying.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,819 issued to Hollingsworth, et al. sets forth a CONTROLLED WETTING UNIT FOR DOLLS having a hollow head and body. A reservoir receives liquid introduced into the doll's mouth. A squeeze bulb and check valve are operative to control the flow of water from the reservoir to the simulated wetting orifice of the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,919 issued to Baulard-Cogan sets forth ANIMATED OBJECTS SUCH AS DOLLS, FIGURED PERSONAGES AND THE LIKE in which a doll includes a hollow head and torso within which a pendulum weight is supported. A liquid reservoir within the interior of the doll torso comprises an expandable bladder which is acted upon by the pendulum weight to force quantities of liquid from the bladder through a wetting orifice in the lower torso of the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,948 issued to Burks sets forth a DRINKING DOLL HAVING WETTING AND NONWETTING MODES having a mouth opening, a lower torso opening and an internal reservoir. A tube couples the mouth opening to the internal reservoir. Means are provided for alternatively collecting and retaining the received liquid within the reservoir or conducting it to the orifice in the lower torso to simulate wetting.
While the foregoing described prior art dolls have provided an increased play and activity value, they often lack realism of their simulated function and thus, there remains a need in the art for evermore realistic functioning dolls.